Tabb outlasts Smithfield, advances to state tourney

SMITHFIELD — Just two weeks after watching Smithfield celebrate its regular-season district title, the Tabb Tigers had a celebration of their own on the same field.

It took nine innings, but the Tigers secured their place in the state Group AA softball tournament by defeating the Packers 2-1.

The extra-innings game was both teams' second in a week, but that did not take away from the energy each brought to the game. After beating Park View in the regional quarterfinals, the Tigers showed their resiliency and perseverance once again to move on and earn a chance at a regional title.

Tabb swung its bats well, despite recording only three hits against the Bay Rivers District Pitcher of the Year Sydney Gay and capitalized on the Packers' mistakes to come out on top.

In the fourth inning, Kayla St. John put the Tigers on the scoreboard first when she took off home on a pitch that just snuck by Smithfield's catcher.

"I didn't really wait for my coach to tell me to go," St. John said. "I just took off as soon as I saw the ball get past the catcher."

Through six innings, it appeared that St. John's run would be enough for the Tigers to advance, and Tabb pitcher Ashtyn Clark was doing her best to keep it that way. Clark held the Packers scoreless until the bottom of the seventh inning, stranding six runners on base. Smithfield finally would break through on a controversial call in the outfield.

With a runner on second and two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Jada Diggs stepped into the batter's box as the last hope for the Packers. She swung at a pitch from Clark and sent it into shallow center field. As Smithfield's Mallory Jaax hustled around third base and toward home, the Tabb outfielder ran to the ball and bobbled it before appearing to catch it, ending the game.

Before the Tigers could celebrate, the nearest umpire ruled that the ball hit the ground, scoring the runner and tying the game.

As the crowd waited silently, the three umpires met to discuss the ruling and upheld that the runner was safe, sending the home fans into a frenzy.

The game settled down for a bit, until the top of the ninth when St. John came to the rescue again. After she doubled down the left-field line to lead off the inning, Kendall Wooddell bunted to move St. John to third. The throw to first sailed high and St. John showed off her base-running skills, crossing safely at home to give the Tigers the lead.

Smithfield threatened to come back in the bottom of the inning, putting runners on first and second with one out. Tabb coach Ashley Meredith chose to change pitchers, bringing St. John from third base. Two batters later, St. John proved her coach's decision to be a good one, striking out the last batter to win the game.

"There is absolutely nothing that [St. John] can't do," Meredith said. "She has been my player of the year all season, and today she showed everyone just how special she is."